Quick-coupling hermaphroditic connectors



QUICK-COUPLING HERMAPHRODITIC CONNECTORS Filed 001;. 20, 1958 June 6,1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 6, 1961 .1. l. ROSS 2,987,691

QUICK-COUPLING HERMAPHRODITIC CONNECTORS Filed Oct. 20, 1958 sSheets-Sheet z 0 i u E FL 2! 14 A INVENTOR.

JOSEPH I 19988 A rraplvcys June 6, 1961 J. 1. oss

QUICK-COUPLING HERMAPHRODITIC CONNECTORS Filed Oct. 20, 1958 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Ali I INVENTOR. (JOSEPH 1905s United States Patent2,987,691 QUICK-COUPLING HERMAPHRODITIC CONNECTORS Joseph I. Ross, EastNorwich, N.Y., assignor to Specialty Engineering & Electronics Company,Brooklyn, N.Y.,

a partnership Filed Oct. 20, 1958, Ser. No. 768,431 3 Claims. (Cl.339-49) The present invention relates generally to hermaphroditicconnectors for multiple-conductor cables, and more particularly toconnectors of this type which may be manually intercoupled without theuse of axial pressure.

In order to link the operating units or components of an electricalinstallation, it is known to make use of multi-wire cables which areintercoupled by means of terminal connectors. Such coupling devices areusually of the male and female type, the cable interconnections beingmade by properly mating male and female connectors.

In mobile military communications systems, such as field radiotransmitters, field telephone networks or portable radar installations,it is vitally important that connections between the various elements ofthe system be made rapidly and without undue stress. It is essential,therefore, that the connectors be adapted for quick coupling undervarying field conditions, such as under cover of darkness or atextremely low temperatures. The use of standard male and femaleconnectors in conjunction with cables is a decided drawback, forvaluable time is lost in matching male connectors to appropriate femaleconnectors.

To obviate the drawback inherent in conventional malefemale connectors,hermaphroditic connectors have recently been developed whereby theconnectors at the ends of a multiple cable are identical with eachother. Such connectors act either as a male or female element and areintended to simplify the hook-up of complex field equipment.

There is one difiiculty, however, which is characteristic of male andfemale connectors which is not overcome by hermaphroditic connectors ofknown design. In order to bring together such hermaphroditic connectors,it is necessary for the operator to use a strong axial thrust motion.Thus, in the case of male-female connectors, the operator must axiallyinsert the male element into the female member, while in the case ofhermaphroditic connectors a similar movement is necessary to join thehermaphroditic pins. And to decouple such connectors they must be pulledapart.

The amount of axial pressure necessary to join or decouplehermaphroditic connectors is considerable, particularly when a greatnumber of pins are involved. This can be a strenuous and difiicultoperation under conditions encountered in the field. However, unlessadequate pressure is used, efiective electrical contacts will not bemade. The axial pressure requirement militates against quick couplingand is a major disadvantage in hermaphroditic connectors of knowndesign.

In view of the foregoing, it is the principal object of this inventionto provide hermaphroditic connectors which may be quickly andefiectively intercoupled without the use of axial pressure.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to providehermaphroditic connectors which may be positively intercoupledby a twistlock operation followed by a simple rotary motion of coupling rings.

Briefly stated, in a hermaphroditic connector in accordance with theinvention there is provided a tubular sleeve whose front end is cut outto define tongue and grooves effecting a twist-lock coupling with acomplementary sleeve. A tubular casing is telesconed within said sleevePatented June 6, 1961 and is axially slideable therein. The rear portionof the casing extends beyond the rear portion of the sleeve, the twoportions being bridged by a coupling ring which threadably engages therear portion of the sleeve and is so keyed to the rear portion of thecasing as to permit the ring to rotate but not to move axially.

Thus, upon rotation of the ring, the casing is caused to advance orretract axially in the sleeve depending on the direction of rotation. Ahermaphroditic pin block is housed within the casing and moves axiallytherewith. In a coupling operation between the two connectors, thesleeve ends thereof are first interlocked and the coupling rings areturned in opposing directions to cause the associated casings and blockstherein to advance toward each other until engagement is effectedbetween the hermaphroditic pins.

For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects andfurther features thereof, reference is made to the following detaileddescription to be read in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein like components in the several views are identified by likereference numerals.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of hermaphroditic connectors inaccordance with the invention, the connectors being shown before theyare intercoupled;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the intercoupled connectors;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the hermaphroditic connectorsafter they are joined together but before the coupling rings are turnedto effect interlinking of the connector pins;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section which is similar to FIG. 3 showing theinternal arrangement after the pins are interlinked;

FIG. 5 is a transverse section taken through the plane indicated by line5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a transverse section taken through the plane indicated by line6-6 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken through the plane indicatedby line 77 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the contact pins incorporated in theconnector.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a pair ofhermaphroditic connectors, generally designated by numerals 10 and 10A.Since the connectors are of identical design, the components inconnector 10 will be identified by a simple numeral, while thecorresponding component in connector 10-A will be identified by the samenumeral followed by the letter A.

Connector 10 is constituted by an insulating block 12 of cylindricalconstruction which is fixedly held within the front end of a tubularmetallic casing 13. The rear end portion 14 of casing 13 is of enlargeddiameter relative to the remaining front portion 15 thereof and has acircumferential groove formed therein to provide a channel 16.

Attached to the rear end of casing 13, by means of screws 17, is aconical closure member 18 of the same metal which terminates in abushing 19 threadably received therein. Interposed between closure 18and casing 12 is a rubber gasket 20 which provides a moisture-proof thematching positions of the connectors.

fingers at mutually perpendicular positions such that each pair offingers engages the other pair. The rear extension 21d of the pins is ofhollow construction to receive a'bared wire which may be solderedthereto.

In mating two connectors, the raised sectors S to S of one intermeshwith the depressed sectors of the other such that each bank of pins 21engages the complementary bank. A more detailed description of the pinand block structure of the connectors may be found in my copendingapplication 722,706, filed March 20, 1958. It is to be understood,however, that the present invention is not limited to this specificstructure.

The cable 22 containing a plurality of wires 23 passes through a centralbore in the conical closure 18, the bared ends of the wires beingsoldered to the pin extensions 21d, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The front portion of the casing 13 is telescoped within a metal sleeve24, the casing 13 being axially slideable therein but being preventedfrom rotational movement relative to the sleeve. This is accomplished bymeans of a pair of screws 25 and 26 threadably received in the sleeve atdiametrically opposed points therein and projecting into longitudinalkey slots 27 and 28 formed in the casing front portion 15.

The slots 27 and 28 are of like length, the length of the slotsdetermining the limits of the relative axial movement of casing 13 andhence the connector block held therein. Thus FIG. 3 shows the fullyretracted position of the casing and FIG. 4 shows the extreme forwardposition thereof.

The axial movement of the casing 12 relative to the sleeve 24 iseffected by means of a coupling ring 29 whichis positioned to bridge therear portion 14 of casing 12 and the adjacent rear portion 24a of sleeve24, rotation of the ring causing relative axial movement therebetween.The interior wall of ring 29 is threaded to engage the threaded surfaceof the rear portion 24a of the sleeve, The axial position of the ring 29is fixed with respect to casing 12 by means of screws 31 which arereceived at circumferentially spaced points about the ring and areprovided with pin extensions journalled within rollers 32. Rollers 32ride in the channel 16 formed in casing portion-14, whereby ring 29 isfree to rotate but is restricted from axial movement.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mating ends of the sleeves 24 and 24Aare formed with arcuate cutouts 33 and 33+A-so shaped as to definebayonet tongues 34 whereby the sleeves may be interlocked by a twistmotion, the tongues 34 and 34-A being received within the complementarycutouts 33 and 33-A.

Initially, as shown in FIG. 3, the sleeves 24 and 24-A are interlocked,while the pins 21 projecting from'block 12 are separated from eachother. By rotating rings 29 and 29A in opposing directions, the blocks12 and 12-A housed in casings 13 and 13A are caused to advance axiallytoward each other until the pins 21 are brought .into physical andelectrical engagement, at which point no further rotation of the ringsis possible and the connector coupling is fully effected.

The closures 18 and 1-8A are provided with corresponding surface. ridges35 and =35-A which act to indicate Thus, the operator may, by holdingthe separate connectors in his two hands and feeling the ridges with histhumbs, thereby align the two connectors even in the absence of light.

The connectors are then brought together and twisted to lock the sleevestogether, the rings being turned in 'opposing directions to effectintercoupling.

While there has been shown what is considered to be a preferredembodiment of the invention, it will be obvious that many changes may bemade therein without departing from the essential scope of the inventionas defined in the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. A hermaphroditic connector comprising a tubular sleeve whose frontend has cutouts formed therein to define tongue and grooves fortwist-lock coupling to a complementary sleeve, a tubular casingtelescoped in said sleeve and axially slideable therein, said casinghaving a rear portion extending beyond the rear portion of said sleeve,a coupling ring bridging the rear portion of said casing and the rearportion of said sleeve, said ring threadably engaging the rear portionof the sleeve, means keying said ring to the rear portion of said casingto permit said ring to rotate but not to move axially relative to saidcasing, an insulating block housed in said casing and axially movabletherewith upon rotation of said ring, and hermaphroditic pins supportedby said block and projecting forwardly therefrom.

2. A hermaphroditic connector for a multi-wire cable comprising atubular sleeve whose front end has cutouts formed therein to definetwist-lock tongue and grooves, a tubular casing telescoped in saidsleeve and axially slideable therein, said casing having'a rear portionextending beyond the rear portion of said sleeve,,a coupling ringbridging the rear portion of said casing and the rear portion of saidsleeve, said ring threadably engaging the rear portion of the sleeve,means keying said ring to the rear portion of said casing as to permitsaid ring to rotate but not to move axially relative to said casing, aninsulating block housed in said casing andaxially movable therewith uponrotation of said ring, a plurality of pins projecting through said blockand provided with rear terminal extensions and a conical closureattached to the rear end of said casing, said cable passing through saidclosure and the wires thereof being connected to said terminalextensions. 3. A hermaphroditic connector comprising a tubular metallicsleeve whose'front end has cutouts formed therein to define twist-locktongue and grooves, a tubular casing telescoped in said sleeve, meanskeying said casing to said sleeve to permit said casing to be axiallyslideable therein, said casing having an enlarged rear portion extendingbeyond the rear portion of said sleeve, a coupling ring bridging therear portion of said casing and'the rear portion of said sleeve, saidring threadably engaging the rear portion of thesleeve, means keyingsaid ring to the rear portion of said casing as to permit said ring torotate but not to move axially relative to said casing, and ahermaphroditic pin block housed in said casing and axially movabletherewith upon'rotation of said ring, said block being divided intosectors which'are alternately raised and depressed whereby saidconnector is adapted to mesh with a like connector.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.23,547 Fox Sept. 9, 1952 939,437 McVoy Nov. '9, 1909 2,125,816 ReynoldsAug. 2, 1938 2,386,177 Andersen Oct. 9, 1945 2,389,115 7 Anderson Nov.20, 1945 2,409,650 Wiggins Oct. 22, 1946 2,440,279 Larkins Apr. 27, 19482,521,822 Boswell Sept.'12, 1950 2,739,290 Child et al. Mar. 20, 19562,819,914 Eitner Jan. 14, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,198 Great Britain of1893 52,773

Switzerland May 27, 1910

